We are spending 8 days in Paris December 18-December 26 (8 days). We narrowed down what we want to see, now we need to organize it. We are 2 adults and 2 girl teenagers (13 & 17). Would like some advice on how to organize, what is near each other, metro passess, museum passes, worthwhile seeing, etc. Especially interested in whether or not to visit Versailles, since I understand this is an all day venture and it is probably going to be cold and raining. As you will see, we are catering to all different tastes. What about letting the kids do the cemetery and a few other sites alone during the day, is this safe??? They are not shy or bashful and would take public transportation, if that is possible. Any suggestions for Xmas day - will anything be open?? Thanks in advance!!
Louvre (closed on Tuesdays)
Versailles (closed Monday)
Musee d'Orsay - closed on Monday
Arc du Triomphe
Eiffel Tower - Champ de Mars
Jewish Museum
flea market/holiday market
Champs Elysee (Sephora beauty store)
Tuilieries Gardens
Moulin Rouge - show only/les Folies Bergeres
Ballet??
Montmartre
Montparnesse
Notre Dame/Tomb of Deportees
Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
Jardin du Luxembourg/Marionnettes du Luxembourg
Jardins du Palais-Royal
Les Halles
Musee Rodin (closed on Mondays)
Picasso Museum (Le Marais)
Shopping (department stores)
Pere la Chaisse cemetery (Jim Morrison's grave)
Rodin museum

Looks like you've done much research and have a pretty good plan started. One place I don't see on your list that is one of my favorites (and was my daughter's when we took her when she was 13) is the Pompidou. It's closed on Tuesday...I believe it's the 4th floor that has the most remarkable art--Matisse, Picasso, etc. etc. Also, the views are great and the center itself is fun (Internet cafe, etc.)

Make sure you get Museum passes (sounds like you'll want the 5 day pass).

I'd also add Sainte Chapelle. I think they have concerts there, but am not sure. We went to the ballet--got tickets on the Internet well in advance. There's a website to check for this--I can't find it but I'm sure someone at Fodors will have it.

Also, recommend eating at Le Grand Cafe--it's great food, reasonable, and the place is all stained glass. Near the Opera Gardiner, which is worth checking out as well for the Chagall ceiling etc.

This is how I organized the museums for us. I went to this website first, www.ratp.fr/ParisVisite/Eng/. It has the information on the Museum Passes. I had a list like yours of the museums we were interested, and I looked on the metro map, the one that gives the location of where they all are. On my list, beside each museum, I made a note of opening hours, what neighborhood they were in, what Metro stop, and what the admission price was. Then I re-organized my list lumping all the museums that were close to each other and open on the same days, so as to minimize backtracking when we're out sightseeing. It also became apparent to me that we'd really get our use out of a museum pass! It's my understanding that your teens, being under 18, will get in the museums free.

This turned out to be really useful because looking at my list, I saw that the Louvre, St. Chapelle, and the Pompidou Centre are all open on Monday, when most of the other museums are shut. I had thought to get our museum passes for Fri/Sat/Sun, but decided to push it forward a day so as to stroll through the Louvre on Monday evening.

Another thing I do is to put sticky notes on a map marking all the things we want to vist, and making a "route" from that.

Go up the Tour Montparnasse for your Paris views (including the Tour Eiffel) instead of standing in line at the Eiffel. It's about 6E, elevator and one flight of stairs. Wide open terrace, few people, can see 360 degrees. You could combine it with your visit to Jardin de Luxembourg.

We did the exact same trip last Dec. you will have fun. We actually got there on the 18th and left Paris on Christmas day and went to Strasbourg for 5 days. After a few days of getting to know the subway system the kids will be more than safe. I would recommend maybe a trip to Fontainbleu. there is a fun market there and the town in kind of cool. Be sure to visit the many Christmas markets that are around. Here is a thread that will let you know where they all are. http://www.paris-touristoffice.com/index_va_v2.html
Everything closes early (sort of) for Christmas eve but there are restaurants open. Be sure to go to the Childrens mass at Notre Dame (6-6:30p.m.) It has fewer lines than the later masses. even if you aren't religious it is a neat experience. There i a web site for Notre Dame that gives times for concerts and the masses. Bring fleece and waterproof hiking shoes. Email me with any questions.

Hi
do you mean Forum-Les Halles, the shopping mall?
I'd not consider it a priority, imo it's
tacky and shabby and not at all like shopping in the rest of Paris.
If you're looking for bargains or just inexpensive things the girls might like, don't overlook discount stores like Prisunic or Monoprix. They are like very mini Walmarts or Kmarts. Not high quality, but good for cheaper versions of current 'fashions', plus good grocery sections should you wish to buy things for picnics in the hotel room, or to take home.

I'm not one for aerial views from the tops of buildings as rooftops don't interest me much, but if you're going to do one and would like to avoid the line at the ET, take the suggestion above and go to the ugly Tour Montparnasse, or just climb all the stairs to the top of Notre Dame, which at least will let you see gargoyles and such in addition to the rooftops--you'll also see the ET in the distance.

I've been to the Jewish Museum--I thought it okay, not great. Some pretty older artifacts, some modern art, a pretty good exhibit on the Dreyfus Affair. For a serious experience, you could see instead the Memorial to the Unknown Jewish Martyr, in the Marais area (not far from Picasso Museum and/or Pompidou), and/or go to the Deportation Memorial just behind Notre Dame, in the park named for Pope John XXIII. In that little park is also a public bathroom by the way, and when I've used it I've found it attended and clean, a small fee was charged.

If 12/18 is your arrival day from an overseas flight, I won't make a sightseeing suggestion, you'll just have to see how you all feel. If you all are awake, choose one or two activities, perhaps the Eiffel Tower and/or Arc, that you can 'get off the list' but places that keep you moving and doesn't require much concentration as a museum does.

Buy a museum pass so you can skip long lines at the Orsay and at the Louvre.
You don't need them for the kids.

Sunday: Usually a busy museum day, so pick a smaller one that doesn't have long lines, perhaps the Picasso because the Marais is active on Sundays, even many shops are open. Ditto for the rue des Rosiers, the street in the Marais that still has some traditional Jewish cafes and stores.

By the way, it may be cold, and it may rain, or not, but you have enough time to spend a day at Versailles, and it's well worth it, even though the gardens won't be in their glory. Museum pass covers this as well.

The Pere LaChaise cemetery isn't near the other sights you mention. It's perfectly safe, just off the beaten track. They should wear comfortable and old shoes or sneakers, because the place is very hilly, and many of the paths are unpaved. There's usually someone selling maps at the entrance, they need to ask for the English version.

I have a long file on Paris; if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

For grouping sights to avoid backtracking, use the Michelin Green Guide to Paris. It has excellent itineraries, with recommended visit times.

I think that you and your husband would also find Pere Lechaise interesting and well worth time.
We found the Jewish Museum most interesting, apparently more so than Elaine did.
I also recommend including Ste. Chapelle. Viewing its stained glass windows on a sunny day will be one of the highlights of your trip. You can easily fit it in on the day you visit Notre Dame and the Deportation Memorial. The latter is an incredibly moving experience.

IN MONTMARTRE, DONT MISS THE SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM!!! I'TS GREAT!!!
WHEN IN THE 4TH ARR. WALK ON RUE DES ROSIERS TOWARDS THE MARAIS(WHICH YOU SHOULD ALSO VISIT I'TS THE OLDEST SECTION IN PARIS AND IT'S WHERE VICTOR HUGO LIVED,AUTHOR OF "LES MISSERABLE&quot AND HAVE YOURSELF THE BEST FALLAFELS YOU EVER HAD!!!
AS FAR AS THE CEMETARIES, YOU SHOULD AT LEAST VISIT ONE. THE ONE IN MONTMARTRE IS THE ONE I RECOMMEND. WHEN THERE GO TO DIRECTORY AND LOOK UP "DALIDA". SHE WAS A BEAUTY AND HER GRAVE IS TOO!! WELL WORTH THE TRIP!!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, JUST WALK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THE LEFT BANK IS A MUST AT NIGHT!! HAVE A GREAT TRIP!!

I'm not sure I would choose the Tour Montparnasse over the Tour Eiffel. After all, the girls can come home and say they went to the Eiffel Tower, which is sort of the point, isn't it? And in the evening, if the weather is ok, young people love the goings on at the Place Trocadero across the Seine from the Tour Eiffel. Really fun.

If you hit nice weather, be sure to take a boat ride on the Seine. Also a walk through the Marais provides more shopping fun than do the department stores (or so our daughter thought).

I would take the to the Port Clingnacourt flea market; our daughter also loved that. There is also a good holiday market near the Louvre.

I personally would choose the ballet over the Folies Bergere, and I think the Folies may not give young women exactly the right idea about what it is that young women should see and do. That's just my opinion.

Our daughter also loved the Champs Elysee and all its crowds. She liked the shops and the Sephora store very much.

I have good restaurant recs if you want them, and you can email me at
[email protected]

I second the rec for the Centre Pompidou and the area around it should thrill the girls. Lots of fun sights and shopsl.

Our family had a huge battle at Versaille, and I think it was the stress of too much walking, too many people, etc. Its ok, but not what we go to Paris for. We love the museums, shops, streets and squares, and the food.

The 5 day museum pass is great, and you may be there on the right days for a Carte Orange.

I don't like Rick Steves that much, but his Paris info is good, especially about using the museum pass.

You will love it all. Have fun.
Debbie

I'll agree with Ste-Chappelle. It's near Notre Dame so do them the same day. I'd also recommend the Notre Dame guided tour which will help you understand Gothic cathedrals. I'm not sure if the schedule changes in the winter but during the spring/summer/fall it's given Wed & Thurs at noon and Saturday at 12:30. The tour is free.

If you like medieval art then the Cluny is a must (closed Tuesday). One of my favorites in Paris. This is also near Notre Dame. It contains the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, stained glass windows which you can see up close and other medieval objects, carved stone head from Notre Dame (removed during the Revolution). It's set on the site of Roman baths. There are also concerts given here (and at Ste-Chappelle). They have English guided tours Sat and Sun.

I love Pere Lachaise cemetery. I also suggest that you go see this place. The tombstones are wonderful. Do buy a map since you might get lost without one (the cemetery is 108 acres). Jim Morrison's grave is small, low to the ground, and plain and difficult to find. It's really not worth going out of your way for.

The Deportation Memorial closes between 12:00 and 2:00.

Your daughters might be interested in the Fragonard Perfume tour (located near the Opera Garnier).

I would go to Versailles. It's a wonderful place and it's an indoor activity. If you do go take the guided tours of the kings' and queen's chambers. This is more interesting than the state apartments. I don't mean miss the general rooms but do the additional guided tours in addition to them. Versailles is very easy to get to via Metro and RER and it's a 5 minute walk from the RER station.

The best way to organize yourself is buy a lamated folding map and some post-it flags. I use Streetwise maps. Flag all the places you want to see and you'll have a natural itinerary

FYI, in case you need to look up the address: the Cluny is now known as the Musée Nationale du Moyen Age.

Thank you underhill!

Here's the link:

www.musee-moyenage.fr

I made up a spreadsheet with all the pertinent information on all the sites we wanted to see, and more. I included hours, days closed, were they on the pass, map coordinates, etc. I was able to move them around before printing, and it helped as it soon became apparent what was near what, and when they were open. Using this, and some metro routes I had looked up from our lodgings to strategic points, we were able to see almost everything on our list while minimizing our travel time.

I would skip Versailles. It is just a monument to opulence and is often overcrowded. You are going in December, where the gardens will be dormant and the water shows turned off.

We bought carnets (a packet of ten metro tickets at a good discount) rather than passes, and ended up using the metro less than we had anticipated, as we were within walking distance of many things we wanted to see.

The museum pass is well worth it, not just in saving you time waiting in line, but in being able to visit the same museum (the Louvre is huge) multiple times, rather than having to absorb everything in one visit.

We didn't go up into the Eiffel tower because it was crowded. The elevated view I most enjoyed was from the terrace on top of Samartain, the department store, which we also enjoyed, but I don't know if the terrace and cafe will be open in winter. The Pompideu center is very interesting architecturally (perhaps out of place in its neighborhood), and another place to get a good view of the city from the upper floor. The Orsay also has a model of Paris under the floor, which is interesting.

You have a lot of gardens on your list, but in December I don't know if they will be very scenic. The Tuilieries is very convenient to the Louvre, and a nice walk would be to start at the Arc du Triomphe, down the Champs Elysee through the Place de Concorde and the Tuileries to the Carousel and Louvre.

The Louvre is huge and wonderful; Orsay is, I think, more accessible and I love the impressionistic works there. Its almost hard to concentrate on one masterpiece, as there is another on each side of it. We enjoyed eating in their cafe, and they also have a restaurant. If you like that type of art, also consider the Marmottan (not on the pass) which has a lot of Monets, including, I think, those normally displayed in L'Orangerie (closed for renovation). Sainte Chappele is beautiful, especially on a sunny day, and is convenient to Notre Dame. Between the two there is a bird fair which was interesting, but might be less so in winter.

You will want to plan carefully and prioritize, as what you already have on your list is quite a lot for eight days.

I would not be averse to letting my kids go off on their own at that age, as long as they had enough information with them to get back to your lodgings, or for emergency purposes.

I skipped the museum pass so I could be flexible to enjoythe best weather days, but then I was there in Spring. By the way, the museum pass also covers the ride up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe for some great views. I also climbed to the top of the Pantheon for views. Buy a few carnets of metro tickets, too. I walk alot and didn't feel the need to buya metro pas, which some may recommend. I think both kids may be able to get into the museums at no charge. I was totally unimpressed by the Musee D'Orsay restaurant, very disapoointing nouvelle cuisine and very pricey. Don't overbook yourself on museums. I did spend a few entire days, but eventually limited my visits to 4 hours to avoid sensory overload and. The food court at the Louvre is a lot of fun, and I think the kids would enjoy it. We paused for some great Morrocan food, and very reasonable. I think that with common sense, your 2 girls would be fine exploring some of Paris on their own, especially if they are accustomed to cities.

Another suggestion--you and your daughters might gain much from checking out Rick Steves' Mona Winks and Europe 101. I did!

My approach was to take a one page map of Paris (actually, I scanned one onto my PC), then highlight all those places we wanted to visit - one color for those closed on Monday, another for those closed on Tuesdays, another for those open daily, etc.

I started with a spreadsheet, but then used my address book program to create a separate address book just for Paris. I printed this (sorted by arrondisement, then alphabetically) booklet style to bring along. Great reference for opening times, addresses, phone numbers, etc.

Then, I bought a Michelin 15 and scanned various areas (3rd/4th/Isle St-Louis, Latin Quarter/St. Germain, Opera/Montmartre, Arc de Triomphe/16th, 7th, etc.). I scanned in grayscale so the detail would be clearer and the colored annotations would stand out. Then, I added restaurants, cafes, shops, etc. Once done and printed, they can be folded up and tucked into a pocket.

I probably would try to visit Versailles with 8 days in Paris -- it is a monument to opulence, etc, but that is sort of the point -- it's an important part of French history and I enjoyed seeing the rooms, especially Hall of Mirrors. If the weather is miserable and you don't feel up to it, pass.

I really enjoyed the Jewish Museum, also, thought it was quite good. As for views, I am not that interested in views from tall buildings to see rooftops, and if the weather is cloudy and/or rainy, that isn't going to look like much. However, I also would only go to the Tour Eiffel for this as that is the experience, not just seeing a view, I think. If all you want to do is see Paris from a high point, you can easily go to the top floor of Galeries Lafayette for that while shopping, and you'll also see it from up near Sacre Coeur, which is a very high point.

I wouldn't worry about safety for the girls to do some sightseeing during the day time. I wouldn't think Pere Lachaise cemetery would be of that much interest to them (cemeteries seem more of an adult activity to me), but maybe your girls are more into that in particular and like visiting cemeteries. I don't find them that interesting in and of themselves, I only go to see or visit particular graves of someone I especially admire or is important to me, or of special interest in some way.

I'm not a big fan of Les Halles, either, but I suppose that's for the shopping. Even in that area, it's nothing special, you'll find the same cheap chain stores in lots of places. It is a fairly convenient location, though. YOu can find a lot of the same stores in the shopping center at the base of Montparnasse Tower (and better, I personally think, as they have a Galeries Lafayette in there). I just went to La Defense last week as it was a stop for the bus I was taking back from Malmaison, and while I was there, I shopped in that shopping center which was the best I've found in Paris (but no major dept store). Personally, I would find shopping there nicer and then you can go up to see the view from near the top of that arch in this elevator contraption they have.

Thanks so much for all the great information. I forgot to ask a question. We are new to foreign travel, if the girls go off on their own, we will give them metro passes, phone number for the hotel & American Embassy and some euros, but should we give them their own passports to carry? They are pretty responsible, but I am fearful of pickpockets. On the other hand, if something were to happen, the passports might come in handy. Advice anyone??

We never carry our passports while in Paris. It is best to leave them in the hotel (or room) safe. If something untoward were to happen and they have the hotel phone #, the passports can always be retrieved. Also, I want to add one more vote for Ste. Chappelle - it is exquisite, especially on a sunny day as many have noted.